The Pendulum

Scripture for Today: Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep My laws.”

Watching a pendulum swing back and forth can be mesmerizing. This image is clear on both ends as the pendulum slows to a stop, but blurry in the middle because of the speed of its movement. So much of our world is in what physicists and engineers call, “simple harmonic motion.” When something is nudged away from where it was at rest, often it will push back, and then overshoot.

Today’s verse is about a movement that does not follow the laws of physics. The Spirit of God resides in every believer and one of His roles is to move us to obey God’s Word. He will never move us to do anything that is contrary to His commandments. But He does remind us of what we have read and heard. He will prompt us to obey His still small voice. And He will convince and correct us when we are not listening. The Spirit teaches us what sin is, what the right thing to do is, and that we are accountable for our choices (John 16:8).

When the Spirit nudges me, hopefully there is movement on my part to obey. I do not want to argue with Him and push back. Nor do I want to “overshoot” and run ahead of what He is asking me to do. The only way I can give Him the obedience He asks of me is to submit to His way of doing things. I need to let go of my own will and desire His. I want my movement to be measured, correct and following His plan.